Psalm 148: All Creation Should Praise God.


Verse 14: 
He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to his heart. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah.

The psalmist enumerates all of nature when listing those who should praise God. He makes no distinction in nature. The same goes for humans. If they belong to God, if all creation belongs to God, then they have the right to receive God's protection and can praise him. The disappearance of the distinction between Jews and Gentiles, the idea that all creation is the object of God's protection and praise, is embedded like a jewel throughout the Psalms (Psalm 87). Among all creation, it is only humans, the most problematic, who distinguish between themselves and others. They call for all to praise the Lord in nature, yet label others as Gentiles and exclude them from the praise. Let us not forget that all creation is under God's protection and should simultaneously be the object of praise towards Him.